The Opelousas courier., 1887-05-21
A HERO OF THE PLAINS,

olan lcril,ory, stands SIX feet tw,
inches, with q head on him that would
have done for o senator when men wcr,
senators; chin square cut; square shout
dered--you would say a man on thu
square as you looked at him. Modes
as the brave ever are, not disposed t
talk until he is sure of his man. Blu,
when he does talk, the days of Danie.
Boone, says a D oston letter to the New
Orleans States, do not seem so far away
See him as he sits in front of lis ranch,
grave as a Roman senator. Yonder,
galloping across the plains, comes ar
Indian. As he comes nearer we see hi
has the physique of a giant. Matthew.
sons face kindles.
'It is Big Bow" he says.
The Indian rides within forty PAGES
OF US, but vcers off toward the Quaker
agency. AS he does so lie shouts and
points that way, "simpah Zilbahl Come
agent"
There bas been trouble; he wants Sim
pah q lbah-"the dangerous one with
long hair or his CHM as the Kiowas
have named Matthewson, to help HIM
get at this Quaker agent, who seems to
him q half-squaw man.
How has this man made himself a
power with the fercest chief among the
kiowasa Years ago in the state of New
York was a lad with a hot, restless
heart. That heart had not been made
restless by the cheap novel, for the cheap
move was not yet. His heart was rest
less because it was a big heart, full Of
courage and high daring. That heart
had been fred by a book, but it is a
very noble book, the life of one of our
very bravest Americans, John G. FIRE.
mont. Well, the boy did what my
boy readers had better not do unless
they are absolutely sure they have as
lofty a heart as w liam Matthcwson had
-he ran away, and he struck for the
path the great pathfinder had found, the
overland route to California. Out and
out he went into the heart of what was
called once the great American desert.
but which never was a desert, on.y a
great plain, stretching, as the great Lake
Michigan stretches, a-d which perhaps.
was the bottom of a great lake once.
ranch where the youth stopped was
also IN the heart of the Indian country.
The Kiowas were there, and fierce, fear
less fellows they were, who could look
you square in the face without finchino.
The ~Coranches, too, occasionally swept
Up there, short and squatty, inferior
ooking save on horseback, and they did
look--well, square in the eye-they
'ast f%urtive, sidewise chances. The
Aiowas took lovingly to him when they
in. And while he was learning
rontier lore from the ranchmen he was
earning As fast as be could the Kioya
language.
AT % he pushed out further alone in
he Kiowa country and established 4
anch. It is enough of a trading ranch
9 give him an excuse to stay among
hem. His ranch, being the furthest
ut this side Of The Rocky Mountains, is
haven to weary ~overlanders to Cali
ornia.
Matthewson, besides the Kiowa !;
anguage, had learned the sign Ian uage, :
llich is the common language between !.
Y Of the tribes. II you ask an Indian J
far any place is. and if he does not :,
peak your language, he will tell you !
ow many sleeps of it il. a sleep is
30 miles. If it is about 200 miles :
. he will lay his head in his hand, !,
Csc his eyes and then hold up both !
ands--it IS ten sleeps of. If he wished :
tell you you lied. he would thrust out Z
20 index fingers from his mouth, max
6 an obtuse angle-"you talk forked.s
atthewson understood this sign y
perfectly, but the Indians did q,
i know this. Some Indians Of another il,
ibe had come in. They were talking Ii
sign language 10 d group Of Kiowas: Of
"What is it2p d
"A prisoner got away. Psisone ID
bite and q young girl. Stole one o 4
ponies. Got away in 4 storm. il
III give one, two, thlee, four, Eve cat =
Kiowa catch her,
ssAll nj ones IT flashed over me- BE
IA young girl alone On tho plains,
q tribes banding To catch herl nv 4,
i've one, I'm on your side!l I sold them
half gave them the goods to Get them g
az. saddIed two horses-my mars 81
and 3 splendid horse / had. took
carbiue and two C5lt reviewers. i II
q some struggling Kiowas that were 6,
! three ~ aaltle gone { must 20 81
u thena 4 pushed OH on tic course
she would BE Likely 10 take.
.ninc Il close; yes il is hers. Before sal
/ II strike Il small band III Eiowa III. all,